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Tile roofs can provide a home or business with added curb appeal and, if properly installed and maintained, tile roofs can provide storm water protection for many years. The Tile Roof Institute (http://tileroofing.org/about-tri/) was organized in the ’70’s to provide information about properly installing and repairing tile roofing materials.

In the normally dry climate of the southwest desert, many roofing contractors do not use metal flashing materials at walls or around roof penetrations, opting instead to use mortar for flashing materials. Mortar flashing requires routine periodic maintenance because it is not always properly installed, and it can crack or spall. Property owners should request their roofs to be inspected by qualified personnel on an annual basis, with repairs made as necessary to prevent storm water from migrating under the tiles.

Considering that a home purchase is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, it’s smart to enlist the help of a professional home inspector prior to buying a property. However, many buyers aren’t aware of what to expect from the inspection and what to do with the results.

To separate fact from fiction, misconceptions about home inspections will be discussed, beginning with the idea that all home inspectors and inspections are the same.

The truth is that only 35 states currently regulate the home inspection industry and require licenses. and New Mexico is one of the 15 states that does not currently regulate the home inspection industry. There is a huge variation in the type of inspection you will get from each company or inspector. Comparing inspectors and companies can be difficult, but you must perform your own due diligence for your protection. You should begin by choosing an inspector that is certified with a national inspector organization like ASHI.

Current standards require functional Smoke Alarms to be installed on the ceilings of all bedrooms and their adjacent hallways, and at least one Smoke Alarm should be installed on each level of the house.
Smoke Alarms that use photoelectric sensing technology are superior to those that use ionization chamber sensing technology. Ionization alarms have proven themselves to be particularly prone to nuisance alarms, which tend to cause people to disable them. Those that are not disabled can fail to detect certain kinds of smoldering fires. Photoelectric alarms, in contrast, tend to be less susceptible to nuisance alarms and are dramatically superior at detecting smoldering fires, particularly those that involve synthetic materials. Smoke inhalation from smoldering fires is a far more common cause of death in home fires than exposure to flaming-mode fires.

Garbage (food waste) disposals are popular kitchen appliances. Unfortunately, many homeowners are not well informed on how to use them. It is essential that the disposal’s grinding chamber be flushed with water after each use. Decaying food particles not flushed from the grinding chamber can form acids that can eat away the die cast “pot” metal found in the case of many lower cost disposals. Some manufacturers also recommend the occasional grinding of ice cubes in the disposal.

People walk around their houses out of habit and when they grab loose handrails unexpected things can happen! Keep your handrails tightly secured by following some simple remedy: Tighten the screws once a year.

Modern residential construction can be too tight, creating living environments that can become stale or, in extreme conditions, can become toxic. During holidays, when cooking will take place for much of the day, cooking with a gas range can elevate moisture and Carbon Monoxide to dangerous levels. Refresh the air in your home by opening doors and windows every day.

ATTIC VENTILATION: The space between the ceiling and the roof covering is called the Attic. With pitched roof designs, attics can usually be viewed and can sometimes be entered. Low-sloped roof designs generally do not provide access to the attic. Regardless of the slope or design of the roof, constant ventilation should be provided to the attic. Proper attic ventilation will extend the life of the roof covering materials, and will improve the efficiency of the cooling equipment on hot summer days.